HYDROPO

WERC O L L I N

KE L LY , A

N G E L A CI C

E R O , JO H N

M C L A U G H L I N Your s

ource

of

never

-ending

power

!

You can find it in rivers, ocean tides, and ocean waves. The source of hydroelectric power is water so

hydroelectric power plants must be located on a water source.

Because water goes through its cycle hydropower is a never ending source of energy.

The energy for hydropower is found in lakes and rivers, where the force of the water is converted into mechanical energy.

Rivers with a strong current are harnessed and used to produce hydroelectricity.

Where You find it?

WHAT YOU NEED TO GET IT? Hydroelectricity is produced at hydroelectric power

plants Dams are built around the hydroelectric power

plants, which stop the flow of water and hold back thousands of tons of water in certain places.

A power source, which is the water, turns a turbine, which then turns a metal shaft in a electric generator. The electric generator is a “motor that produces electricity.” Then the electricity is moved to homes and businesses. That is how hydroelectricity is produced.

HOW IT IS USED!!!!!!1. Hydroelectric power is used to produce electricity. 2. The force of water is converted into mechanical

energy.3. The water that is held behind a dam has lots of

potential energy, which is converted into kinetic energy.

4. Hydroelectric power is one of the oldest ways of producing energy.

5. Hydropower is a very efficient way of making energy.6. When hydropower is made, there is very little to none

pollution made.

ADVANTAGES!!!!!!1. The fuel used in hydroelectricity is not burned, so it cause very little

pollution.2. Hydropower is a renewable source of energy, so as long as there is

water hydropower can be used.3. The water that is not used, can be saved and used when energy is

needed.4. Hydropower is water power. So wherever a hydroelectric power plant

is located, it can be used for irrigation purposes.5. The water that is held back behind a dam, can be used as a pool or a

swimming area.6. The hydroelectric generators that make hydropower are very reliable

and can be used for many decades.7. Hydropower is practically free because after a dam is built and the

electric generators are made, the water that it uses is FREE!

DISADVANTAGES!!!!!1. The dams that are needed to make it cost a lot of

money and are very complicated.2. When dams are built, the water that they stop can

consume land that was originally higher than where the water was. Which can affect thousands of people.

3. The building of these large dams can affect the original flow of the river and can cause water to not reach certain places.

4. A dam can split a river into two parts which causes fish to not be able to migrate and not have the freedom that they had.

5. If a dam is not built properly and breaks, it can kill many people affect the wildlife around that area.

6. Dams are very expensive and can affect the wildlife around the area greatly.

THE U.S. AND HYDROPOWER!!!!!!!!• The first hydroelectric power plant in the U.S opened

on the fox river near Appleton Wisconsin on September 30th 1882

• In the U.S. about 7% of the total power comes from hydroelectric plants.

• Washington produces nearly 31% of the hydropower in the U.S

• The largest hydroelectric power plant is the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington

• Right now power plants in the U.S can generate enough hydropower to power 28 million homes.

• Fox River Dam-

Hoover Dam-

THE HOOVER DAM!!!!!!!!!1. The Hoover Dam is 726.4 feet high.2. It is 1,244 feet across the top.3. It weighs 6.6 million tons.(13,200,000,000

pounds)4. Cost $49,000,000 to build.5. It is 660 feet thick at bottom.6. Can generate 2.8 million kilowatts.7. It has 17 generators that can produce over

2,000 megawatts of electricity.

THE THREE GORGES DAM!!!!!!!!!1. It is located in Sandouping, Yichang.2. It is 181 meters tall.3. It cost 24.65 billion dollars, in U.S. currency.4. It can generate 18.2 million kilowatts.5. It is being built to control flooding, generate

power, and improve navigation.6. There is 26 generators inside of it.7. It is the world’s biggest dam.

http://www.brainpop.com/technology/energytechnology/dams/• One fact that we learned from this video, is that dams are

used to produce hydroelectricity, make clean drinking water, make water deep enough for ships, and for irrigation purposes.

• Another fact is that rivers with a “heavy” flow, can be harnessed to produce hydroelectricity.

BRAIN POP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PARTS OF A DAM!!!!!• Reservoir- a manmade lake formed from the

water that a dam holds back behind it• Intake- where the water enters a dam; Most will

have screens to prevent anything from entering the penstock, which could break the turbine

• Penstock- an open shaft inside a dam that allows water to flow from the intake to the outflow

• Outflow- water that has been used flows through the outflow back into the river or lake

PARTS OF A DAM CONTINUED!!!!!!!!Turbine- Water turns the turbine, which is

attached to a generatorGenerator- AC is produced inside of

generators when a turbine turns and a series of magnets inside the generators turns with it

Transformer- It takes the AC produced and turns it into a higher-voltage current

FUN FACTS!!!! AND SUMMARY!!!!!• Hydropower is a renewable source of energy, and it

can be used as long as there is water.• Hydropower does not cause any pollution, and water

is more efficient than other natural resource.• The Three Gorges Dam is the biggest dam in the

world.• It is the most widely used renewable source of

energy.• A reservoir is the body of water formed behind a

dam.• China has been the leading producer of

hydroelectricity in the world.

MORE FUN FACTS!!!!!!• Hydroelectricity helps fight against climate changes

because it does not produce green house gas emissions.• Hydroelectric power plants are a lot safer than nuclear

power plants. • Reservoirs can hold water needed for hydropower incase

there is a drought.• China, Canada, Brazil, Russia, and the United States are the

five leading producers of hydropower.• Hydropower

BIBLIOGRAPHY!!!!!!1. Ryan, V. "Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydropower." www.

technologystudent.com. 2005. Web. 9 Mar. 2012. <http://www.technologystudent.com/energy1/hydr2.htm>.

2. "Hydropower Advantages - Clean and Reliable Alternative Energy." Alternative-energy-resources.net. 2005. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. <http://www.alternative-energy-resources.net/hydropower-advantages.html>.

3. Perlman, Howard. "Hydroelectric Power Water Use." Ga.water.usgs.gov. Web. 7 Mar. 2012. <http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wuhy.html>.

4. "Hydroelectric Pros And Cons." KeyFrame5.com. 19 May 2010. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://www.keyframe5.com/hydroelectric-pros-and-cons/>.

5. "Hydropower." Environment.nationalgeographic.com. Web. 14 Mar. 2012. <http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/hydropower-profile/>.

POP QUIZ!!!!!!!! 1. What type of renewable energy was this power

point on?2. What is the biggest dam in the world?3. Which state produces the most amount of

hydropower and what is the percent?4. What is a reservoir?5. What is one fact you learned during this

presentation, other than the questions just asked?